Advertising display device



June 20, 1950 E. F. HALL ETIAL I 2,511,980

ADVERTISING DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1946 THE R.\/.5MITH CO.

WELL DRILLING SU'PFLI E5 SPmHsFlELD Na).

INVENTORS fan/7K0 A 17921.

' MWW Patented June 2Q, 1950 apolis, Minn.;-said Lageson assignor of onefourth to'Howard 0. Williams, Minneapolis,

. Minn.

Application December 16, l 9.46, Serial lflo. {16,5545

1 3 Claims.

Our invention is related to an advertising display device which is constructedto attractthe attention of a casual observer. In particular it is related to a device in which a liquid column'is circulated through a. transparent medium, and a small quantity of gas-is introduced into the moving liquid column in theform of bubblesfin a manner to attract attention. To further lend attraction to the device a luminescent back ground may be provided for'the transparent medium, to emphasize the visual effect of the moving column of liquid and bubbles. Y m

An object of our invention is to provide adisplay device in which gaseous bubbles-or voids'are periodically introduced into a liquidwhich is circulated through a transparent medium'or system of tubes formed to outline the advertising matter to be displayed.

A further object is to'provide an-=illuminated display device in which'gaseous bubbles or voids, I

preferably of air, are periodically introduced into a moving liquid column that iSbeing circulated thorugh a transparent medium.

Other and further objects will become apparent from the following description anct claims, and in the applicants drawing inwhich;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an advertising de vice in which the invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2' is a front elevation partly in cross section taken from the rear of Fig.- l; a i 5' Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation take'n'on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;= 1

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a transparent tubular conduit having a moving columnof liquid and bubbles passing therethrough; and; r

Fig. 5' is'a sectional top elevation 'tak'n 'on the lines 5-5 of Fig.2.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 1, reference numeral IIl indicates a container upon the top of which is supported a screen II by means of brackets I2 and I3. Screen II is shown as being formed of glass or the like, but may be of any particular material, and, if desired, may be coated with a luminescent substance. Extending upwardly from container I is a continuous transparent tubular conduit I 4 which has been formed into the shape of the desired advertising subject matter. Also mounted on screen I I is an illuminating medium which may take the form of a luminescent neon tube I5. As shown tube I extends adjacent the periphery of screen II, but if desired it may be formed to take the shape of conduit I4, as shown in Fig. 4, and serve as a background therefor to directly illuminate conduit I4.

Referring nowto Fig. 2,which is a view taken from the rear of Fig. 1, within container I0 is shown a chamber I5 which is open at the top and which is adapted to receive a quantity of liquid I6 that maybe introduced through funnel IT. The return end I 4b of conduit I 4 extends into chamber I5. There is also provided an outlet drain I8 for removing liquid. I6 from chamber I5-for cleansing purposes;

Also located in container I0 adjacent chamber I5 isanother liquid chamber 20. Inter-connecting' chambers I5 and Zllsis aconduit 2! which carries a valve 22 for controlling'the flow of liquid I6 between chambers I5 and 20 in such a manner. as to accurately fcontrol the liquid level in 'chamberzll; When thedevice is not in operation or at the beginningof'operation, if the valve is opento any degree, the level in the two chambers will equalize. If desired also, the valve 22 may be left closed when thedevice is out of operation. Located above chamber 20 is an electric motor 23- which is provided to drive a suitable. liquid circulating means, shown in the form of centrifugalpump 24, by means of a driveshaft 25. A pair of supportingmembers 26 interconnect motor 23 and pump 24 to rigidly support these members with relation to each other. As

best shown: in Fig. 5. pump 124 is provided with a central bearing ZI aroundwhich is an annular inlet "28. Pump 24 is also provided with a peripheral outlet 29 which is joined to the inlet end .I4aofconduitI4.

In-ordertoelectrically operate neon tube I 5 and motor 23 electric connections are provided which are adapted to bejoined to a conventional source ,of current. 1 A conventional plug; 30 providedwith 1a pair or conductors 31 and 32, .one of which. is provided with a movable switch 33 to control the flow of current through conductors 34 and 35 to motor 23 and to the primary side of a transformer 36. From the secondary side of transformer 36 a pair of conductors 31 and 38 extend to the opposite ends of neon tube I5 to convey high voltage current through the rarified gases in tube I5.

-In operation, the advertising display device functions in the following manner. .A quantity of liquid I6 which may be water or any other liquid substance, is introduced into chamber I5 through funnel I'I until a substantial quantity is present therein. During the filling operation valve 22 is closed so as to exclude liquid from chamber 20. Plug 30 is inserted in a source of electricity such as A. C. current and when switch 33 is moved to a closed position motor 23 is energized by a circuit which may be traced as follows: from plug 30, through conductor 3i, conductor 34, conductor 35, conductor 32 through switch 33 back to plug 311. This causes motor 23 and pump 24 to commence operation and initially it will only circulate air through conduit 14. After pump 24 has been started, valve"22 is opened to allowliquid E6 to pass from chamber l to chamber until the liquid level in chamber 20 is slightly above the inlet opening 28 of pump 24 which causes pump 24 to circulate liquid through conduit l4. After conduit 14 has been filled with liquid, valve 22 is thereafter throttled to the point where pump 24 draws in through its inlet 28 a major proportion of water and aminor proportion of air from chamber 20. The introduction of air through opening 28' of pump 24 causes voids or bubbles 40 to be formed in the liquid which passes through conduit l4, and the size or spaced regularity of the voids or bubbles 43 may thereafter be controlled by controlling the opening of valve 22 to alter the proportions of water and air.

Coincident with the starting of motor 23, as previously mentioned, a circuit is completed from the secondary side of transformer 36 through conductors 31 and 38 to neon tube 18,50 that tube i5 becomes luminescent at the same time that motor 23 is energized and the luminescence of the tube tends to make the moving column of liquid and bubbles through conduit H more striking and attractive to the eyes of a casual observer. The appearance of this moving column of liquid and bubbles will take the form shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing although the size of bubbles 40 may be changed by regulation of valve 22' in such a manner as to increase or decrease the quantity of water admitted to chamber 20, since an increase in liquid level in chamber at decreases the size of bubbles 40 and vice versa.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that our invention may take any one of a number of forms and therefore we do not wish to be restricted to the single illustration but rather only to the extent of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An advertising display device, comprising a chamber, a source of gas communicating with said chamber, a liquid pump having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of said pump being positioned within said chamber and extending upwardly from the lower surface thereof, a transparent conduit connected at one end 'to the pump outlet, a source of liquid, and valve means positioned between said source of liquid and said chamber for controlling the flow of liquid into said chamber in such a-manner that the liquid level in said chamber is maintained slightly above the level of the inlet to the pump whereby the suction of the pump causes a definite proportion of gas to be drawn with liquid into the pump inlet and passed through the conduit in the form of voids or bubbles within the liquid.

2. An advertising display device, comprising a first liquid chamber containing a, supply of liquid, a second liquid chamber which is open to atmospheric air and located adjacent said first chamher, a liquid circulating means having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being located within said second chamber and spaced upwardly from the lower surface thereof, a transparent conduit connected to the outlet of said circulating means for receiving liquid from said circulating means and returning the same to said first chamber, and liquid flow control means connecting said first and second chambers for controlling the liquid level in said second chamber with respect to the inlet of the circulating means so that the inlet receives proportionate quantities of air and liquid from said second chamber, the former passing through said conduit in the form of spaced voids or bubbles within the liquid.

3. An advertising display device, comprising a liquid chamber in communication with a source of gaseous fluid, a liquid pump having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of said pump extending into said chamber, a transparent conduit connected at one end to the outlet of said pump, .a source of liquid, and valve means positioned between said source of liquid and said chamber for controlling the flow of liquid into said chamber at a rate of flow which is less than the maximum ca pacity of the pump whereby a portion of gaseous fluid is drawn in from the chamber with-the liquid therein and is passed through the conduit in the form of voids or bubbles within the liquid.

EDWARD F. HALL.

ARNOLD J. LAGESON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Great Britain Jan. 28, 1936 

